Brief stint: Rob Ford had just launched his television show with his brother (Picture: Reuters) REUTERS/Mark Blinch

Controversial Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has said he "really effed up" after admitting buying illegal drugs during a debate in which he was urged to take leave by Toronto City Council.

The city's Mayor denied he needed help with his excesses during a grilling which culminated in a non-binding vote was passed urging him to take a break from his job to deal with "personal issues".

"I am not an addict of any sort, so I am not quite sure why you are saying that I need help," Ford told councillors.

Speaking after the vote, he issued the latest in a string of apologies, adding: "I really effed up."

Ford, who was elected in 2010, admitted last week that he had smoked crack cocaine in what he described as "one of my drunken stupors".

Footage also emerged last week of the controversial Mayor of Canada's largest city threatening to commit "first degree murder" on an unnamed person.

He insisted on Wednesday he has zero tolerance for drugs and gangs. But asked if he had bought illegal drugs in the past two years, he paused for several seconds and replied somberly: "Yes, I have."

An Ipsos-Reid poll conducted for Canadian TV and radio stations showed that 76 per cent of Toronto voters think Ford should step down or take a leave of absence, while only 24 per cent agreed with Ford's insistence on staying in his job.